LGBT statistics: How many gay and bisexual people are in the UK?

Nov 16 2018
Written by Josh Jackman

LGBT statistics: Two attendees kiss at the annual Pride Parade in London on July 7, 2018

Britain is more gay, lesbian and bisexual than ever, stats show (TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty)

Britain has a higher proportion of bisexual, lesbian and gay people than ever before, according to new survey statistics.

A survey, published by healthcare company euroClinix, found that 13 percent of respondents identified as LGB, with seven percent defining themselves as bisexual and six percent saying they were gay or a lesbian.

These LGBT statistics, published in the Mirror, would mean there were around nine million gay, bisexual and lesbian people living in the UK.

Woman on a vehicle celebrates the annual Pride Parade in London

The LGBT statistics showed that there is a lower proportion of straight people in Britain than ever (TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty)

This represents a huge rise on stats released by the government in 2016, which showed the number of LGB people in Britain reaching one million—or two percent of the population—for the first time.

“Those aged between 18-24 were by far the most likely to say they were gay, lesbian or bisexual.”

While 93.4 percent of respondents self-identified as heterosexual in 2016, the latest stats—gathered from a survey of 2,000 people—show that Britain is much less straight two years later, with that figure falling to just 87 percent.

A euroClinix spokesperson said that according to the survey’s stats, younger people were significantly more inclined to define themselves as queer.

“Those aged between 18-24 were by far the most likely to say they were gay, lesbian or bisexual—24 percent of them did—a proportion that steadily declines as you inch up the age scale,” they said.

A gay couple kiss in Trafalgar Square after the annual Pride in London Parade

Young people were the most likely to say they were gay, lesbian or bisexual (Rob Stothard/Getty)

Survey highlights lesbian, bisexual and gay struggle

The euroClinix spokesperson added: “Maybe the survey reveals the extent to which taboos persist for older people and those living in more conservative parts of the country, so individuals remain reluctant to tell the truth.”

This reflects the findings of other studies in recent years.

A survey released in April by LGBT charity Stonewall showed that 35 percent of LGBT people in the UK are still in the closet at work.

Comments (0)

MyPinkNews members are invited to comment on articles to discuss the content we publish, or debate issues more generally. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines to ensure that our community remains a safe and inclusive space for all.